


Close

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 19:13:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20605892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: A morning after, answers to questions and a solution to the problem





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello!  
This is the rewrite of Chapter 16, along with a few additional scenes, it go so long that I had to chop it in half.  
Enjoy! <3

There was something extremely comforting in having another person to wake up to. The closeness, the heat of their body, the reassuring warmth spreading in his chest. It was all he never realized he wanted, yet that’s what he was feeling in that exact moment, and he realized, that he never wanted that feeling to end.

Ethan was always the first one to wake up, no matter how old he was. It was no surprise that he woke up first that morning too.

The first thing he could feel was that he was naked. Confused, but only for a second, he opened his eyes, trying not to move a muscle, as he noticed another thing. He wasn’t sleeping alone that night. The scent of orange blossoms engulfed him, teasing his senses as the image of her appeared in his mind. He didn’t even have to look down to know that Claire was the one laying next to him.

Memories flooded his mind. Her face when he opened the door. Their heated conversation. The moment they both made the decision to fall into each other and let go. The moment their lips met. The moment his hands pushed her against him, hard. The moment he picked her up and carried her to his room. The first time he saw her in her underwear. The feeling of her hands on his bare chest. The sounds she was making when he was teasing her by the window. How beautiful she is naked. How good it felt to be in her. How she pulled on him to get him as close to her as possible. The way her voice curled around his name. The way she made him feel, like he was standing on the edge and suddenly, he was falling, reaching out for her, his only salvation.

The way she felt in his arms, secure and comforting.

Now, laying beside him, eyes closed, breathing even, deep in her sleep, he had the chance to look at her, really look at her.

Her face was speckled with freckles, her nose had a little bump on its bridge, her upper lip was a little uneven. There was a small, long scar on her right cheek, right above the cheekbone, and she had a delicately pink spot between her eyebrows. He noticed before that this spot tended to get more and more red, the more she got angry or when she cried.

She suddenly moved in her sleep, turning her back to him, the comforter falling down her body, revealing most of her back and a little bit of her chest. Her hair was fallen all over the pillow, exposing her neck and her shoulder to him.

His fingers tingled, longed to touch her, to feel her skin under his again. Leaning forward, as delicately as he could, he attached his lips to the skin behind her ear, moving to her ear and staying there for a moment, his nose buried in her hair.

“_What are you doing to me?”_ he whispered softly, before kissing the shell of her ear and moving downwards, following the path his mouth made just mere hours ago. He reached the point where her neck and her shoulder met, biting her delicate skin there.

Claire moaned softly in her sleep, but she was still asleep. He smirked, waking her up his new personal goal.

His nose nuzzled into her skin, his lips tracing shapes on her shoulder. That got her out of her slumber, she stirred slightly before her eyes opened slowly.

“Ethan…”

“Good morning.” Another kiss landed on her bare skin, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

“What time is it?” she mumbled, turning onto her back to look at him.

“7.30. Which gives me plenty of time to do this…” he leaned forward with a hint of a smile, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Her hands flew to his head, grabbing fistfuls of his hair, pulling him closer to her, gently tugging on the brown strands.

“Claire…” her name fell from his lips, a moan, barely above a whisper, full of longing and passion.

She broke the kiss, nuzzling her nose against his, soft smile on her face.

“I’m terribly sorry that I have to cut it here, but I probably should go back to my apartment. My friends will wonder where I am, and I’m not sure if I’d be able to survive Sienna’s squealing.”

Despite himself, he laughed along with her.

“While I understand that, I cannot say I’m all that thrilled that you have to leave me so soon.” He traced his hand down her arm, resting on her waist, pushing them closer together.

“Why? Were you planning on keeping me here in your bed all day?”

Her teasing drew out a guilty smile onto his lips, his eyes meeting hers.

“You caught me. But since we won’t be able to do that, I guess this will have to do…” he fit their lips together again, pouring all his emotions into it.

Claire kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck, bringing him down against her, tighter and closer, etching the feeling of having him so close next to her into her mind. Memorizing the way his body reacted to even the smallest of her movements. Burning into her head the sight that are his eyes, colors raging from icy blue to deeper shades, almost sapphire, as they got filled with desire more and more.

“Okay… stop… distracting… me… I… have… to… go… Ethan!” she tried scolding him, but every time she opened her mouth to speak, he interrupted her with a kiss.

“Sorry, you’re just that irresistible.”

“A compliment from Ethan Ramsey. I feel honored.”

“I’m the one honored with your presence here, Rookie.” He pecked her nose playfully.

She smiled at him one last time before moving to stand up. If only that was that easy.

As soon as she turned away from him, he pulled her back to him by her waist, crushing their bodies together again, kissing her like his life depended on it. Her finger touched his nose delicately before moving away, only to be pulled back to him again.

“Ethan!” she laughed, swatting his chest delicately with the back of her hand, a playful manner in her move.

“Sorry, but can you really blame me?”

She was about to say something, but a boyish smile tugged the corners of his lips up, a sparkle in his eyes.

“How about that, Dr. Ramsey. You stay in bed, like a proper man in his early retirement, and enjoy the show, huh?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, confused, as she leaned to whisper into his ear.

“_I am forbidding you from standing up. Lean back and relax.”_ With a small bite on his earlobe, she leaned back again.

His bedsheets fell from her body, revealing her naked form. From where he was situated, he could see a few marks on her thighs and her neck, left by him in their fit of passion last night.

He watched as Claire moved around the room, slowly retrieving articles of her clothing, starting with her underwear. She made sure to bend over each time, giving him something to look at, knowing he couldn’t walk over to her and take her.

“Claire…” groaning, he sat up to get a better view, moving one hand to the covers.

“Ah ah, Ramsey. You’re staying put. I’m never going to be able to leave this room if you move out of this bed.” She smirked, pulling her dress back over her body, her sweater tied over her shoulders. The necklace in her hands.

“I’ll see you at the hearing, yeah?” she turned back from the door, taking in his naked body, covered barely by the duvet.

“I sure hope to see you sooner than that.” He smiled at her, his voice a little strained.

Debating if his self-control was strong enough, she walked back over to the bed, standing by the edge of it.

She leaned forward, grabbing his hands and pinning them to the mattress so that he couldn’t touch her. Their lips met in a soaring kiss, and he tried to free his hands, but her touch was relentless.

“See you soon.” She whispered, before walking out the door, smirking to herself, swaying her hips from side to side.

Ethan heard the front door click and he fell back against the bed, groaning loudly.

_The way she made him feel…_

_ \---------_

He woke up a few hours ago, feeling the hangover catching up to him. What was interesting though, was the fact, that, even before opening his eyes, he could swear he could feel Claire’s body against his own. Which was impossible, since she left earlier this morning.

But then, he felt a soft touch on his cheek, the weight on his hips. Moaning, he felt a smile tugging on his lips, his eyes opened slowly, the brightness of the room causing his headache to become even worse.

There was Claire, straddling his hips over the sheets and leaning over him. He was confused, but he couldn’t deny that Claire being the first thing to see after waking up pleased him.

“Claire? What are you…”

“I need you to come with me right now. Get dressed, I’ll explain everything in the car.”

He winced at her words, the idea of getting out of bed in his state made him sick. All he wanted to do right now is grab her, pull her close, and fall back asleep with his head on her stomach. But she seemed to have other plans.

“Wait, are you hungover right now?”

“Perhaps a little. You kept me up very late last night and my tolerance isn’t what it was in med school.”

His words made them both smile and blush a little, as they looked at each other, their current position making it hard to concentrate.

“Come on! Dr. Banerji needs us!”

“Naveen? I can’t face him again, Claire. I failed him. I told you, it’s over—”

“I solved it.” she interrupted him softly, her thumb moving over his cheekbone.

Claire proceeded to explain everything to him, still keeping him in his position on bed, minimizing any movement, so that his headache wouldn’t act up. He could feel his eyes go wide as he listened to her.

_She’s brilliant._

“My god. You’re right.”

“And we need you to perform the phage therapy. You’re the only one who can.”

A new determination grew on his face, ready to do whatever it took to save his mentor.

“Alright, let me get dressed…”

Claire moved out of her position, letting him get out of bed. Before she had the chance to think about it, bedsheets fell down, and revealed that he was still naked. She smiled at him teasingly, handing him his pants. He pulled them on quickly, the sudden movement causing spikes of pain shoot through his head. Wincing, he rubbed his brow.

“You don’t look so good.” She said quietly, concerned for his wellbeing.

“I’ll admit I’ve felt better. Give me a minute. I’ll be fine… I have to be.”

“We need to get rid of this hangover. We need you at your best.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Claire.” Their eyes met and he saw tenderness in hers, full to the brim with emotions.

“No? Because it sure looks like you do.” Smiling, she took a tiny step towards him. He smiled back at her, despite the pain tearing his skull apart.

“Well… if it’s doctor’s orders.”


	2. II

She took one final step, her hand running through his hair. Ethan leaned into her touch, allowing himself a moment to forget everything and focus only on voice, on her touch, on her scent, on _her._

“Let me take care of you.” she whispered, trying again.

“Well… if you insist.”

She took him by his arm, leading him towards the kitchen slowly.

“I just need fluids. We could drive across town to the hospital and grab some banana bags for the I.V.”

“I’ve got something better. Dr. Herondale’s Miracle Hangover Cure. I invented it for my friends at college. It might not taste great, but it works like a charm.”

By now, they both were smiling like fools, the comfortable atmosphere surrounding them feeling so natural.

“Now I’m scared. On second thought, I prefer the hangover.”

He leaned heavily against the counter, watching her every move as she rifled through his kitchen like it was her own. For some reason, he didn’t mind. He wanted her to feel comfortable.

“Perfect. You have everything for my recipe.” She grinned to herself, pleased.

“Dare I ask what’s in it?”

“I’m glad you did! It starts with a base of coffee.” Her fingers press a few buttons on his coffee machine as it comes to life, the dark liquid falling into the mug she put underneath it.

  
“Your miracle cure is coffee?” _Now that’s his type of a cure._

“I’m just getting started.” She said as she moved the mug towards the blender, pouring the coffee into it.

“Why do I fear I’ll regret this?”

“Just wait until you see the piece de resistance!” she laughed, turning back towards his shelves, a soft sound escaping her lips as she found what she was looking for. A tray of chocolates, sitting on one of the shelves in the back of his pantry.

Biting her lip, she tips it over the blender, letting half of the sweets fall into it.

“Chocolate?”

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

He didn’t know if she always made that concoction with chocolate, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to start complaining.

_A woman after my own heart._

“Almost done. Just need some spice to round it out.” She turned towards the shelf above the stove, looking through the selection of bottles with colorful seasonings. She grabbed cayenne powder and went back to the blender, scooping a couple of tablespoons of it into the machine.

“That oughta give it a little kick.” Turning on the blender, she sneaked a look at his face. She could see he was trying really, really hard not to make a face, but his state made it hard for him. Taking out a glass, she poured the mixture into it, passing it to him.

Ethan wasn’t thrilled with how it looked. A grimace made its way to his face, his eyes flicking back to her.

“This looks horrific. You’re sure this will help?”

“Positive! Stop stalling and drink already.”

“Not so fast.” A mischievous smile appears on his face as he moves next to her to reach for a second glass. Their bodies press against one another for a moment and he finds it interesting how comfortable he feels around her, after only one night of closeness.

He poured a little of the concoction into the second glass, pushing it over to her.

“You’re going on this journey with me. Bottoms up.”

She clinked her glass against his and they both took a sip. Her eyes were trained closely on him, gauging his reaction.

“My lord, Rookie. That’s an abomination.” A grimace came back onto his features as he set the glass onto the counter.

“I told you it didn’t taste good. But you gotta finish it.”

His eyes pleaded with her for a moment, but seeing no sympathy on her part, he closed his eyes and downed the rest of the horrible mixture.

“Well?” she asked after a moment.

“Well, what? It’s not like my hangover is going to evaporate right aw—Oh my god, it worked. I... can’t believe it.” he said, his voice expressing surprise and shock.

Claire folded her arms, leaning against the counter with a smug smile on her face.

“My work here is done. Now, what do you say we get you back to Dr. Banerji?” she smiled brightly and turned to go, but Ethan stalled behind her.

Standing by the wall, he gazed at the picture of him and Naveen, when they received an award. He heard soft footsteps approaching him and soon he felt her presence behind him.

“You can to this. We have an answer.”

“I know I can do it. I know. That’s not what I’m afraid of. I just don’t know if I can face him again… after I gave up on him. How could I ever forgive myself for that?” he hanged his head low, avoiding looking at her at all cost. Afraid she’ll realize what he already knows. That he is a wreck of a man and that she deserves better.

She took the final step and placed her hand on his arm, still bare as he didn’t have time to get himself a shirt. Her fingers stroked his skin reassuringly.

“Ethan… you did what you thought was right. It’s what you thought you had to do.”

“And I was wrong.”

“Maybe you were. You’re human. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but even you can make a mistake. But now… there’s another choice. Forgive yourself… or don’t. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that your friend needs you. Forgiveness can wait.” She squeezed his arm softly, letting him know she was there with him, no matter what.

“…Forgiveness can wait.” He turned towards her, pressing his palm against her cheek, stroking her skin there, pulling her closer to him.

She closed the remaining distance between them, pressing her soft lips to his, taking his breath away, like only she could. He dropped his arms to her waist, wrapping them around her, hugging her to him.

He kissed her like his life depended on it. He kissed her with purpose. He kissed her with passion. With urgency. With eagerness. He kissed her like she was everything to him.

Pulling back, he takes a good look at the woman in his arms. She trusts him. She believes in him. She cares about him.

And perhaps that’s all he needs.

“What was that for?”

“For luck.”

“I see. In that case, to pull this off, I’m gonna need a lot more luck.” He smiled at her teasingly, making her laugh.

Their lips crash against one another, needy and full of passion, his arms tightened around her again, lifting her off the ground slightly and turning them both around, sitting her down on a bar stool by the kitchen island.

She made herself comfortable, her hands tangling into his hair, her nails scratching his scalp delicately. He groaned at the sensation, his hands trailing down her body to her hips, gripping her tightly and stepping between her legs. She squeezed his hips with her knees, keeping him in place, as their mouths explored each other. The scent of her perfume reaches his nose almost immediately, the feel of her body under his hands makes his mind freeze, all the white noise disappeared and all that was left was her and him, together.

“Ethan…” she breathed in between kisses. He pulled on her lower lip, groaning at the sounds she was making.

Eventually, after many moans and cries of pleasure, they separated, coming up for breath. Ethan leaned towards her, their foreheads touching. She looked at him, a proud smirk on his bruised lips.

“I would apologize, but…” he looked at her pointedly, squeezing her hips with his hands. “I can’t say I’m sorry for that.”

“Neither am I. But we should get going.” She let her legs down, her thighs a little cramped from the force of keeping him close, taking his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers together.

“By the way… don’t say anything about us to Naveen, okay?”

“Are you embarrassed of me?” her voice and face remained level and calm, but he saw a sliver of pain in her eyes. He realized how his words sounded and he rushed to make up for his poor choice of words.

“Nothing of the sort. I just don’t want to give the man the satisfaction of knowing he was right about us.” He smiled at her, thinking back to how Naveen pestered him about Claire, asking millions of questions, teasing him every time she left the room and his eyes involuntarily followed her around. He pointed out their relationship countless of times, and he denied, every time. How right he was, all along. He probably knew that before either of them realized what was going to happen. “He’d never let me hear the end of it.”

She hopped off the stool and pulled on his hand, landing a sweet, short kiss on his lips, before nuzzling their noses together and guiding them both out the door.

\-------

They have been monitoring Naveen for the past few hours after injecting him with phages, trying to be as prepared for everything that could happen. They were tired but determined. He suspected Naveen would slip into unconsciousness, and when he looked at Claire, fully expecting her to start panicking but saw her collected, he felt pride swell in his chest.

“He’s unresponsive.” Her voice wasn’t that much different from what it normally sounded like, which meant she was confident in the situation she was in, at least for the time being.

“I was expecting this. I’ll need to run further tests, but this is the encephalitis getting worse.”

“That means the phage is winning! Our plan is working!” Dr. Olsen exclaimed, a wide smile on his face.

Ethan’s eyes flicked to Claire and he could see her wincing, her face hardening for a split second.

_What did she not tell him?_

“Now things get dangerous. I’m going to have to carefully monitor him overnight. You two should head home.”

“Are you sure?” he could hear concern in her voice, he could practically hear her thoughts. _I don’t want you to leave me either._

“I’m sure. You have a hearing to prepare for. And Rookie… good work. Thanks to you, Naveen has a chance.”

He saw her open her mouth to respond and he managed to notice how her eyes slipped towards Dr. Olsen for a moment, as though weighing her options.

“Thank you, Dr. Ramsey. Glad I could help.” The other intern left the room as the two of them were staring at each other intensely.

Ethan broke their gaze, turning back to Naveen, looking at his mentor helplessly. All he could do now was just monitor him and make sure nothing unexpected happens. Only, and that much.

He felt her body close to his, her eyes trained on the side of his face, looking at the lines of worry that were on his face without a doubt.

After a few more seconds, she wrapped her arms around him, her palms flat against his chest, as she hugged him from behind. He could feel her hot breath on his back, she was too short to look over his shoulder. Her hold on him was tight, telling him all he needed to know.

_I won’t let you go._

His first instinct was to freeze and push her away, he could have sworn his body was about to push her away. But then he felt her body, he felt the orange blossoms in the air, and he could fell himself relaxing. His hand reached up to touch her arm, squeezing it reassuringly.

“You’ll save him. I know you will.”

“How can you be so sure? I already failed him once.” His voice was grim, he refused to look at her.

“Because you’re Ethan freaking Ramsey.” She placed a small kiss on the back of his shoulder before turning to leave. Before meeting Claire, before getting closer to her, he thought hugs were pointless. Now, that he had her wrapped around him, he couldn’t feel of anything more comforting than a good hug from a person you care about.

“Jonah.” The words left his mouth before he could think about it twice.

“What?” turning around, she looked at him, confused.

“My middle name. Ethan Jonah Ramsey. But I guess ‘freaking’ works too.”

With one final smile, she left him alone with Naveen. He took a deep breath, preparing for the most stressful and challenging night of his life.

\----------

He was waiting. His body was longing to move, pace back and forth, run, do anything other than standing still, but he knew he shouldn’t move. The hearing was set to begin in ten minutes, and she was nowhere to be found.

_Did something happen? Was the hearing moved and he didn’t know? Where was she?_

His train of disastrous thoughts was stopped by the sight of red hair. Claire made her way across the atrium, towards the lecture hall. Her eyes widened when she spotted him, when she took in his nervous state.

“Ethan! I mean, Dr. Ramsey! What are you doing here? Is Dr. Banerji—”

“He hasn’t woken up… but he’s still alive. Still fighting the phage. I have Dr. Olsen keeping an eye on him.”

There it was again. She stiffed the moment she heard the young intern’s voice, like she was angry and afraid.

“Shouldn’t you be with him?” she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

“I’ve done all I can for him. And I think he’d want me here, supporting you. I know he would be, if he could.”

“Thanks.”

Their eyes met and he realized that all he wanted in that precise moment was to wrap her in his arms and protect her from the world. He knew he couldn’t do that, but he could try.

“Hey, stand tall. You haven’t lost your license yet.”

“Yet being the operative word.” She murmured, her eyes drilling into his with intensity that made him feel bare.

“Nothing’s set in stone. I might not be able to testify for you… but believe me, I’m not out of my tricks either.”

One last look before it all becomes clear. All he knew was that, no matter what, he’d be there for her.

As close as she’ll allow him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it <3  
-P


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